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Most Crash-Prone Intersections

By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: July 22, 2008

SEBRING - The sound of screeching brakes, the crunch of metal on metal and breaking glass is heard all too often along the U.S. 27 corridor as it cuts through the center of Highlands County.

But having the most crashes reported by telephone does not necessarily translate to the intersections with the most injuries and property damage.

Deputy J.P. Fane, with Highlands County Sheriff's Office, said Monday the most accident-prone intersection in the county, from June 1, 2007 through May 23, 2008 is Bayview Street, in Sebring, with 22 crashes, based upon 911 and wireless calls.

County Engineer Ramon Gavarrete said Monday, for a period from June 1, 2007 through May 2008, the intersection with the most crashes involving injuries and property damage is Interlake Boulevard, based upon long-form crash reports coming from Florida Highway Patrol and the municipal police departments.

"If we get the report, there was probably a lot of property damage or injuries," Gavarrete said.

Fane said his numbers are for the county only.

"As of May, we were showing 260 traffic crashes on U.S. 27, from June 1 through May 23," he said. "That doesn't include crashes in other parts of the county."

No. 2 on Fane's list was Thunderbird Road and U.S. 27 in Sebring, across from the Shoppes at Shelby Crossing, with 19 reported crashes. Third, was U.S. 27 and College Drive, in Avon Park, at 17 crashes.

Fourth on Fane's list was U.S. 27 and State Road 70 in Lake Placid, with 16 crashes, and No. 5 was Sparrow Avenue and U.S. 27 in Sebring next to the Lakeshore Mall with 13.

According to Fane, the new electronic menace to driving is text messaging behind the wheel.

"Text messaging while driving is equivalent to driving with a couple of drinks as far as how much it distracts you," Fane said, saying it was mostly young drivers who did it. "They really feel like they can do it and it's no distraction."

There are laws prohibiting drivers from being able to see DVD screens while driving.

Also a big distraction is GPS devices. They're designed to be seen by the drivers, Fane said.

Gavarrete's list of serious crashes had Hammock Road in Sebring at No. 2, with seven crashes involving property damage and injury.

No. 3 on Gavarrete's serious crash list was a five-way tie, between Golfview Road; New Life Way which is across from Bayview Street; Sun 'n Lake Boulevard at U.S. 27 and Valerie Boulevard in Sebring; Muriel Street in Avon Park; and Stryker Road in Avon Park at six crashes each.

Fourth was a two-way tie with five major crashes each at Sparta Road and U.S. 27 in Sebring, and West Hal McRae Boulevard, in Avon Park.

Fifth on the county engineer's list was a seven-way tie with four serious crashes each between S.R. 70 at U.S. 27 in Lake Placid; U.S. 98 at U.S. 27 and State Road 66 in Sebring; Highlands Avenue; Flare Road; Vicki Drive; the Sebring Parkway at U.S. 27 and Schumacher Road; and Thunderbird Road.

The list changes from year to year because ultimately it was someone's driving that received the blame. Sometimes its making turns drivers think they can make, and really can't.

But what's really to blame for most crashes, said Fane, is lack of attentiveness.

"They're not concentrating on driving from point A to point B and getting there safely," he said.

Is there an answer?

"Yeah, I stay off of 27 as much as I can," Fane said.

Steve Coltharp, interim Emergency Medical Services director, said Monday that overall he felt Hammock Road was the most dangerous intersection in Highlands County.

"I'm going to say we've had more wrecks there than anywhere," he said.

Coltharp referred to U.S. 27 and S.R. 70 as the bear's den.

"We've had lots of bad wrecks there," he said. "People are going real fast and when someone runs through there it's bad. Now we're getting more at U.S. 27 and the (Sebring) Parkway."

He agreed with Fane that the biggest distraction is still the cellular telephone. Some states have passed legislation to ban their use while driving. It's the electronics, he said. Changing the channel on a radio, Coltharp added.

"They sit there using cell phones," Coltharp said. "It takes a lot of mental energy."

U.S. 27 Crash Totals

1. 22 Crashes - U.S. 27 &

Bayview St.

2. 19 Crashes - U.S. 27 &

Thunderbird

3. 17 Crashes - U.S. 27 &

College Drive

4. 16 Crashes - U.S. 27 &

State Road 70

5. 13 Crashes - U.S. 27 &

Sparrow Ave.